Radio condenser



April 27, 1937. A. AGRONOFSKY RADIO CONDENSER 12mm 0 Jigrono/s%y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 5, 1929 April 27, 1937. A. AGRONOFSKY RADIO CONDENSER Original Filed Aug. 3, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 z 5 5 M 7, M A J f/fl w/ //AA. 7 06 Z 2 Z/ II- 6 :u m Q r p A 11? Elan n ENII fE Q 5 V 2 p? fihmz m lis r 3 W m a m 4 z 6 Z Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 3, 1929, Serial No. 383,296 Renewed September 25, 193d 19 Claims. (@la 175-415) This invention relates to variable condensers of that type embodying rotary plates interleaving stationary plates, and has for one of its objects to provide a condenser or" this character which shall be adapted to enable fine and accurate adjustments and uniform wave length variation to be obtained.

To attain the foregoing and other objects, the nature of which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprehends the provision of a condenser wherein the rotary plates shall. be mounted in a manner to permit them to he moved through 360 with respect to the stationary plates. The invention has for a further object to provide a condenser of the character stated wherein the rotary plates shall be mounted for rotation and bodily sliding movement with respect to the stationary plates, whereby to permit them to he moved through 360 with respect to the stationary plates.

The invention has for a still further object to provide a condenser of the character stated wherein the rotary and stationary plates shall .25 be so constructed that .the capacity of the condenser will be gradually and uniformly varied during the adjustment of the rotary plates.

The invention is hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:- g

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on a plane extending vertically and longitudinally through the condenser;

(Figure 2 is an elevational view illustrating one of the stationary plates and the various positions assumed by the rotary plates during the adjustment of the condenser from minimum to maximum capacity;

Figure 3 is a. sectional view taken on the planes indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure l; Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a View of some of the rotary plates and the shaft therefor;

--Figure 6 is a sectional view taken. on the plane indicated by the line 6--6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view illustrating the manner in which the stationary plates are s 'cured within the frame of the condenser;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an elevational view of a fragmen' tary portion of the rotary plate shifting rack, and

tlons i l. The circular portions i3 and the scroll Figure 1c is an elevational view of one of the stationary plates.

The condenser comprises a frame which emlbodies a front plate i, a'rear plate 2 and spacing rods 3, which parts are secured together 5. by machine screws :1. A plate 5 is arranged in front of and spaced from the frame, and it is secured to the frame by bars 6 of balrelite or other insulating material.

The bars extend transversely across the 0 frame, and are arranged within the recesses "i formed in the frame plates i and 2. One of the bars 6 is arranged at the corner of the frame, another of icarsis arranged at the end of the frame remote from such corner, and the re 15 rnaining bar is arranged at the bottom of the frame.

Stationary or stator plates 8 are arranged within the frame, and are held therein and maintained in relatively spaced relation by strips $3 of loalrelite other insulating material. The 20 strips 9 are secured to the bars E3 and are provided with notches ii for the reception of portions of the edges of the stator plates 8. The stator plates 8 are provided with notches ii for the reception of the strips ll. The side walls of the notches iii contact with the sides of the stator plates ii, and the end walls of the notches .ii contact with the sides of the strips with the result that the stator plates are positively held against relative movement.

The stator plates ii are of elongated formation and are provided with slots ii of such formation as to separate the plates into substantially circular portions i3 and substantially scroll porportions i i of the respective stator plates ii are arranged in alinement, andthe ends of the scroll portions id are connected to opposite edges of the circular portions 3. The scroll portions i i extend longitudinally from the cir cular portions 03, they then extend upwardly to points above the circular portions i3, and thereafter they extend in the direction of the circular portions The scroll portions M gradually increase in area from the lower edges of the circular portions it to points close to the upper edges of the circular portions iii, and then they gradually decrease in area from such points to the upper edges 50 of the circular portions i3.

The frame plates 11 and 2 are provided with inclined slots it, which register with the slots ii of the stator plates 8. Bearing strips iii of lcakclite or other insulating material are ar- 55) plates and shaft.

ranged within the slots [5 and are secured against the upper walls thereof by machine screws Rack bars I8 of bakelite or other insulating material are secured to the inner or opposing sides of the frame plates I and 2 by machine screws IS. The rack bars l8 are arranged below the slots l5 with their teeth uppermost. Pinions 2|! rest upon and mesh with the rack bars l8, and are secured to bearing sleeves 2| and 22. The bearing sleeves 2| and 22 pass through the slots l5 and the frame plates I and 2 and are maintained out of contact with the bottom walls of the slots and in contact with the lower sides of the bearing strips l6 by the pinions 20. The bearing sleeves 2| and 22 carry the shaft 23 for the rotary or rotor plates 24, and are screw threadedly engaged with the reduced ends 25 of the shaft. The bearing sleeves 2| and 22 are secured to the shaft by lock nuts 26. The pinions 20 contact with the shoulders 21 formed by the reduction. of the ends of the shaft 23, one of the pinions contacts with the inner side of the bearing strip |6 carried by the frame plate I, and the other pinion contacts with an annular flange 2B, which is formed on the bearing sleeve 2| and contacts with the inner side of the bearing strip l6 carried by the frame plate 2, whereby to hold the shaft against accidental endwise movement with respect to the stator plates 3.

The rotor plates 24 are of circular formation, and are provided adjacent their edges with notches 29, which together with notches 30, formed in opposite sides of the shaft 23, permit an interlocking connection between the rotor The walls of the notches 29 and 30 contact so as to positively hold the stator plates 24 against accidental movement with relation to each other and to the shaft 23. The rotor plates 24 extend in a common direction from the shaft 23 and are interleaved with the stator plates 6.

As the ends of the shaft 23 are arranged in slots, it and the rotor plates 24 are mounted for bodily sliding movement with respect to the stator plates 8, and as the pinions 20 are fixed to the shaft and engage the fixed rack bars l8,

the shaft and the rotor plates will be turned or rotated during their sliding movement. Means are provided for imparting these sliding and rotating movements to the shaft 23 and the rotor plates 24, and it is adapted to be operated by a knob arranged on the dial of the radio set equipped with the condenser.

This means comprises a rack bar 3|, which is slidably mounted upon a supporting strip 32 of bakelite or other insulating material. The supporting strip 32 is secured to the outer side of the frame plate I by machine screws 33, and it is arranged below the slot l5 of this frame plate. The rack bar 3| is provided at one end with an upstanding lug 34, whichreceives the bearing sleeve 22 and is retained thereon by the lock nut 26. A spindle 35 is journaled in a bearing sleeve 36 carried by the plate 5. The bearing sleeve extends through'the plate 5 and is secured in place by flanges 31 carried thereby and contacting with-the inner and outer sides of the frame.

The spindle 35 is provided at its inner end with a pinion 38, which meshes with the rack bar 3|. The spindle 35 is long enough to extend through the panel of the instrument in connection with which the condenser is used, and the condenser is secured to the panel by the bearing sleeve 36, which extends through the panel.

The bearing sleeve is in turn secured to the panel by its outer flange 31 and a nut 39 arranged thereon, the flange and nut contacting with opposite surfaces of the panel. The shaft 35 is held against inner endwise movement in the 5 bearing sleeve 36 by a spring 40, which is secured at one end by a screw 4| to the plate 5 and which has its other or free end arranged in contact with the inner end of the spindle. The spindle 35 is provided at its outer end with a dial 42 and a knob 43 It should be apparent from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, that the rotation of the knob 43 will impart a sliding movement to the rack bar 3|, that the movement of the rack bar will bodily slide the rotor plates 24 diagonally across the stator plates 8, and that the rotor plates will, during their sliding movement, be rotated through 360 by the rack bars l8 and pinions 20. As the rotor plates 24 are supported at their edges, they will, during their downward and rotary sliding movements, pass gradually increasing areas of the stator plates 8, and they will. during their upward sliding and rotary move- 2 ments pass gradually decreasing areas of the stator plates, with the result that fine and accurate adjustments and uniform wave length variation may be obtained.

The circular portions |3 of the stator plates 8 and the rotor plates 24 are of the same diameter,

and said circular portions are provided with notches 44 for the reception of the shaft 23, so as to permit the rotor plates to be adjusted into fully opposed relation with respect to said circular portions.

While I have described the principle of the invention together with the structure which I now consider the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the structure shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A condenser comprising stator plates pro vided with circular and scroll portions, rotor plates, and means supporting the rotor plates for movement past said portions of the stator plates.

2. A condenser comprising stator plates provided with slots, rack bars extending across the slots, a shaft extending through the slots, pinions fixed to the shaft and engaging the rack bars, rotor plates carried by the shaft, and means for imparting movement to the shaft.

3. A condenser comprising stator plates provided with slots, rack bars extending across the slots, a shaft passing through the slots, pinions fixed to the shaft and meshingv with the rack bars. rotor plates secured to the shaft, a slidably mounted rack bar' provided with a lug engaging the shaft, an operating spindle, and a pinion carried by the spindle and engaging said last rack bar.

4. A condenser comprising. frame plates provided with inclined slots, bearing strips secured 65 within the slots and spaced from the bottom walls thereof, rack bars secured to the plates below the slots, bearing sleeves contacting with the under side of the bearing strips, pinions fixed to the bearing sleeves and engaging the rack bars, stator plates secured within the frame and provided with slots intersected by the slots of the plates, a shaft extending th:ough all of said slots and having its ends fixed in the bearing sleeves, rotor plates fixed to the shaft, a slide fixed to one of the plates 75 direction and a decreasing area thereof in capacity relation to said stator plates throughout their are of rotation in the opposite direction.

16. A condenser comprising a rotatable shaft, rotor plates fixed on said shaft, stator plates cooperating therewith, a rotatable actuating member, means for moving said shaft transversely of its axis of rotation by rotation of said actuating member and for simultaneously rotating said shaft through an arc of more than 180 degrees during movement of said shaft transversely of its axis, said stator members and said rotor members being related to each other so that the areas of said rotor members juxtaposed to said stator members vary continuously progressively during the movement of said rotor members about and with said shaft through an arc of more than 180 degrees in one direction of rotation.

17. A condenser comprising a rotatable shaft, rotor plates fixed on saidshaft, stator plates cooperating therewith, a rotatable actuatingmember, means for moving said shaft transversely of its axis of rotation upon rotation of said actuating member through a distance proportional to the rotation of said actuating member, and means for rotating said shaft through an arc proportional to the transverse movement of said shaft upon such movement of said shaft, said shaft being rotatable through an arc of substantially 360 degrees to rotate said rotor plates about said axis through an arc of substantially 360 degrees.

18. A condenser comprising a rotatable shaft, rotor plates fixed on said shaft, stator plates cooperating therewith, a rotatable actuating member, means for moving said shaft transversely of its axis of rotation upon rotation of said actuating member through a distance proportional to the rotation of said actuating member, and means said rotor members juxtaposed to said stator members vary continuously during the movement of said rotor members about and with said shaft.

19. A condenser comprising a stator plate, a rotor plate, a shaft for' the rotor plate, and means for bodily shifting the shaft and rotor plate transversely of the axis of rotation thereof, and simultaneously produce rotation thereof, to provide swinging movement of the rotor plate through an arc of substantially 360 degrees, said rotor having an increasing area thereof in inductive relation to said stator plate throughout its arcuate movement in one direction and and a decreasing area thereof in inductive relation to said stator plate throughout its arcuate movement in the opposite direction.

ABRAHAM AGRONOFSKY. 

